Piniella encouraged by Wood's BP session  —  MESA, Ariz. — For all the new guys in camp for the Cubs, the star attraction during workouts Saturday was an old face.  —  More encouraging for the Cubs, it was a game face Kerry Wood took to the mound to throw to hitters for the first time this spring.

Clement Will Start Throwing Next Week  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox begin their exhibition season in a matter of days, but the player most excited to turn the calendar to March isn't going to be playing any time soon.  —  Matt Clement will be happy just to toss a ball, perhaps as early as next week.

Notes: Timlin prepared to take the lead  —  Tavarez, Pineiro, Donnelly to audition in Wednesday's game  —  FORT MYERS — Mike Timlin is two weeks shy of turning 41.  He could never forget that because his age is brought up to him by nearly every reporter who comes in his path.

Marlins' Lindstrom a man on a mission  —  JUPITER — Think you don't like it when religious folks come knocking on your door?  Try having door after door slammed in your face.  That's the reception Matt Lindstrom often got after he put his baseball career on hold to serve as a Mormon missionary in Sweden.

Live, from Fort Myers, it's Dice-K  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — One of the great things about the pre- game phase of spring training is "live batting practice."  It's when hitters step into the batting cage and try to hit real big league pitching.  The hurlers give them the courtesy of telling …

Deal for Rangers' Young in works  —  'Two or three major issues' delay contract completion, agent says  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Rangers continue to plug along on a contract extension with shortstop Michael Young that could make him the franchise's landmark player.

Pirates Notebook: Nady being checked for chronic condition  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Pirates right fielder Xavier Nady, hospitalized earlier in the week for intestinal inflammation, will be examined tomorrow to determine if he has a chronic condition.

For Nationals' Fick, Life Is Bigger Than Baseball  —  Each morning when Robert Fick walks into the clubhouse at Space Coast Stadium — shades covering his eyes, hat cocked a bit sideways on his head, Starbucks in his hand — the rest of the Washington Nationals brace for whatever might follow.

Bonds has advice for Giants' reliable new leadoff man  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dave Roberts knelt beside Barry Bonds on the first day of spring training hoping to strike up a conversation with the slugger.  Bonds spoke first with one message: Be aggressive and run.

Home makeover  —  Yost hoping Estrada will be a fixture  —  Phoenix - Ned Yost likes to make his own judgments.  When the Milwaukee Brewers manager heard Johnny Estrada didn't always play nice with teammates, he decided to get the story straight from his new catcher.

Interpreters in Baseball Making Sure Nothing Is Lost in Translation  —  Six Yankees jogged across a practice field here, along a path lined with excited fans, toward the bullpen of an adjacent field.  The fans recognized and shouted to Mike Mussina, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte …

Who's on first: Donnie or Keith?  —  TAMPA, Fla. — The debate has lingered for over 20 years in greater New York, delightfully unresolved in chat rooms, message boards and, of course, our memory banks.  Just who was the area's best first baseman of the 1980s, Keith Hernandez or Don Mattingly?

A Whole New Ballgame for Blomberg  —  Starting a new career is difficult enough, but doing it without the staples of one's life?  That may be asking too much.  —  "They have to have pastrami, corned beef and brisket," Ron Blomberg said.  "A guy I talked to said they don't have it over there.

Westbrook gives Tribe a chance  —  Consistency is strength as pitcher enters talks in his free-agent year  —  WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Can the Indians sign Jake Westbrook?  —  If they do, it will be the first significant player in a long time who entered his free-agent year to sign with the Tribe — and stay in Cleveland.